Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

Down under the water Caleb went! He came up sputtering. "What did I do wrong?" he asked Aunt Sue. He and his sister Leslie were spending a week with their aunt at her lakeside cottage, and she was teaching them to float. Caleb looked over at Leslie. "She's just lying on the water!" he exclaimed in surprise. "Why can't I do that?"

"You tried to help yourself float, so you sank," said Aunt Sue. "Try again-just relax and lay back on the water and don't try to stay afloat."

"Okay," said Caleb. He took a deep breath and tried again, but once more . . . blub . . . gasp . . . gurgle. He sank a second time.

"Relax," advised Aunt Sue again. "Just relax."

After several tries, Caleb finally floated. "I'm not doing anything!" he exclaimed. "I'm just letting the water hold me up. This is fun!"

That evening, Caleb was thoughtful. "I was just thinking," he said. "As long as I tried to do something to make myself float, it didn't work. I had to quit trying to help myself and just lay back in the water."

"That's right," agreed Aunt Sue. "You had to simply trust the water to hold you up."

Caleb nodded. "It's kind of like what my teacher told us in Sunday school yesterday," he said. "Mr. Allen said we can't do anything to help ourselves be saved-that we're saved by just trusting Jesus."

"That's what the Bible says, too," said Aunt Sue.

"I guess I always thought going to church and Sunday school helped-and obeying my parents and teachers. But that's not right, is it?" asked Caleb. "That doesn't help me be saved."

"No, it doesn't," said Aunt Sue. "You had to quit trying to float, and you have to quit trying to be saved by doing good things. You need to simply trust Jesus."

"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,"
quoted Caleb. "That was my verse to learn." He smiled. "I do believe," he said.
"I'll still go to church and obey Mom and Dad, but that won't save me. I'll just
trust Jesus to save me!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you trying to do something to save yourself? It won't work. The only way to be saved is to trust Jesus to do it all. Won't you trust Him today?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Acts 16:31)
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."

[Soldier4Christ]

Harvey hated history! "I can't see any reason for studying things that happened such a long time ago," he grumbled. His dislike for history carried over into Sunday school and church. "It's boring to study the kings and judges and all that history in the Bible-especially in the Old Testament," he told his father.

"The Bible says all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable to us," said Dad. "We can learn from the lives of people who lived back then-both in Old Testament and New Testament times." Harvey was not convinced.

That summer, Harvey's family visited some famous historical spots. As they walked through places where well-known historical events actually took place, Harvey read the tour brochures and was fascinated by them. "The battle plan those guys used doesn't make any sense to me!" he declared after reading about one of the Civil War battles. "They marched in lines across the open fields and shot at each other!"

Dad nodded. "It's hard for us to understand their methods," he agreed.

At Washington, D.C., Harvey enjoyed seeing the various monuments. "I'm beginning to understand more about history," he said. "It's kind of cool that someone built all these monuments to remind us of the great men and all they did."

Harvey's father looked thoughtful. "You know what monuments I'd like to see?" he asked. "I wish we could go to Israel and see the monuments people built in Old Testament times to remind them of their God and the wonderful things He did."

Harvey grinned. "Hey, yeah! Let's go!" he said.

Dad laughed. "I wish we could, but we can't," he replied. "Some of those monuments aren't even there anymore-but as we read the Bible stories of the people that built them, we learn from their lives."

The Sunday after Harvey returned from vacation, Rev.
Phillips preached a sermon about the Israelites' problem with idol worship.
Harvey imagined what it would have been like to have been there. To his
surprise, he found it very interesting!




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever wondered why so much of the Bible tells the history of the nation of Israel? If you'll study their successes and failures you can learn much from them. They will teach you about our great God and how to serve Him better.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 22:28)
"Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set."

[Soldier4Christ]

Emily helped Dad get the fishing gear together and put it in the car. "All ready, Dad!" she exclaimed. "Let's go!" She was excited about this first fishing trip with her father.

As they traveled to the lake, Emily told Dad about a girl she had talked with at school. "I finally got up the nerve to talk to Carol about Jesus," she said, "but I guess it didn't do any good. I asked her if she wanted to ask Jesus to save her, and she said no."

"Well," Dad replied, "maybe you'll learn something today about witnessing-fishing and witnessing are a lot alike." Emily frowned but didn't question what Dad said.

At the lake, Dad began to bait his hook. "Will you do mine, too?" Emily asked.

Dad grinned at her and shook his head. "Nope. Baiting the hook is part of fishing," he told her. Emily wrinkled up her nose and finally dug out a worm. She quickly put it on the hook. "Good," said Dad. "Now throw in the line and then sit back and wait."

Emily followed his instructions, but soon she became restless. "How long do I have to wait?" she asked.

"Until you get a bite," Dad said pleasantly.

Emily frowned. "I don't like this," she said, grumbling a little. "I didn't know it took so long to catch a fish."

"Sometimes it does," her father replied. "The fish don't just get up and jump into the boat. You do everything you can to lure them, and then you use patience-lots of patience. When and if you get a bite, you finally get to pull in the line, and hopefully, you'll find a fish on the end of it." He smiled at her. "I told you fishing and witnessing were a lot alike," he said. "Now do you see why?"

Emily thought about it, and then she nodded. "I've talked with Carol about accepting Jesus," she said, "and now I guess I need to have patience."

"That's right," said Dad. "While you wait, you can pray
for Carol and continue to lure her-to witness to her. Maybe God will let you
'pull in the line' someday."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you witnessed to someone? Did you think that person would come to Jesus right away? Sometimes it takes lots of patience, persistence, and prayer. Keep witnessing and waiting for God to work.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 4:19)
"Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Hey, I'm the only one up yet!" exclaimed Billy as he ate a bowl of cereal one morning. He grinned at his mother. "Mom, do you ever wish you didn't have all six of us kids?" he asked.

Mom looked at him in surprise. "Of course not!" she said. "Whatever made you ask that?"

"Well," replied Billy, "my teacher says that if every couple in the world had only one or two children, a lot of our problems would be solved. He says there are just too many people, and there isn't enough air, food, or water to go around."

Mom looked thoughtful. "The Bible speaks of children as a 'heritage' and a 'reward.' God says that a 'full quiver' of children-many children-will bring great happiness to a parent," she said, "and I agree."

"But if you and Dad didn't have all of us, there'd be a lot more money to go around," Billy pointed out. "You could afford nicer furniture, and you'd have more time to do the stuff you like to do."

Mom smiled. "Do you think for a moment that we would trade any of you precious children for a new couch, a car, or a few more hours of free time?"

"I guess not," replied Billy. "At least, I hope you wouldn't! But what about the things Mr. Rader said?"

"God created this world to provide for the needs of people-all of them," said Mom. "I think the main reason there doesn't seem to be enough material goods to go around is simply our own selfishness. While many people are starving, others have far more things than they need." Bobby nodded thoughtfully. "Remember when little Christopher was born?" asked Mom. "Remember how the rest of you kids had to give away your stuffed toys because of his allergies?" Billy nodded. "How did you feel about that?" asked Mom.

"Well . . . we would have liked to keep them, but it was okay," Billy said. "We loved him."

"And that's what the world needs-not more things, but
more love," said Mom. "Relationships with Christ and people is what's really
important and what brings joy. People are very valuable to God-and they should
be to us, too!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you worried that there are too many people in the world? Do you think of babies as a problem, or a blessing? God has a plan for all human beings. He knows them before they're even born-and He sent His own Son to save them. He loves them, and we should, too. Thank God for the blessing of children!Thank Him for you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 127:3)
"Children are an heritage of the Lord."

[Soldier4Christ]

Cassie watched the TV screen eagerly. Dad's boss was sponsoring a program on the University TV station, and it had been taped in the company office. "Where's your desk, Dad?" asked Cassie. "I don't see it-all I see is your boss' desk and that picture behind it." She continued to watch. "I don't remember seeing those flowers when I was at your office! And where's your desk?" she asked again.

"You'll probably see it in a minute," said Dad. "On the TV screen, you can't see everything all at once-you see only a little at a time, you know. And the TV station crew brought those flowers to add color."

"Well, they're pretty, but don't you think they give a false impression?" said Cassie.

Dad smiled. "Like life?" he murmured.

"What do you mean?" asked Cassie.

"Well, things that happen in life sometimes give us false impressions and cause us to jump to wrong conclusions," explained Dad. "But just like the TV picture doesn't show the whole office at one time, we don't see the whole picture of our lives. When sad things occur, we may not understand why they had to happen. Sometimes we even question whether God is really being good to us."

Cassie was thoughtful. "I'm sad because Madison isn't acting like a best friend anymore," she said solemnly. "She hardly ever talks to me. I don't see how that can be good."

Dad shook his head. "Maybe God allowed her to stop being your friend for reasons you can't see," he replied.

"Like what?" asked Cassie.

"I don't know-my vision is limited, too," said Dad. "Maybe there are things about her that might influence you to do things you shouldn't do. Or maybe there's some other reason why it's not good for you to hang around with her. You just need to trust God because He does see both the past and the future."

Cassie made a frame with her fingers and looked through
it as though she were gazing through a television screen. "Okay, I'll try," she
agreed.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you unhappy about a situation in your life? Could you have a false impression about it? God sees the whole picture and will do what's best for you. Trust Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Jeremiah 29:11)
"I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil."

[Soldier4Christ]

As the Cowan family left their mission work for a short furlough, they sadly said good-bye to Aniceta. She had helped them translate the New Testament into her language. They knew she would miss them very much, and they would miss her, too

In the days that followed, Mark often thought of Aniceta-and the whole family prayed for her. "Let's send her a letter," Mark suggested one day.

"That's a good idea, Mark," agreed Dad, "but mail isn't delivered up in the mountains where she lives." He frowned. Suddenly he smiled. "I know! Her son, Isauro, lives in town. He's a good friend, too. Let's send the letter to him-he can deliver it to his mother."

Mark clapped his hands. "Now Aniceta will know we haven't forgotten her," he said happily.

Several months later, the family returned to the mission field. Immediately they visited Aniceta, who was thrilled to have them back. "Praise the Lord!" she exclaimed. "You didn't forget me after all!"

"Didn't you get our letter?" Mark asked in surprise.

"Letter? No," Aniceta replied, "but come. Have some tea with me."

When Mark and Dad saw Isauro later, they asked him about the letter. He clapped his hand to his forehead. "I meant to give it to my mother, but I forgot. I'm sorry!"

Mark was so disappointed. "Isauro failed us, Dad," he said on the way home. "Aniceta thought we had forgotten her because Isauro didn't deliver the letter. He's supposed to be our friend, but he let us down!"

Dad nodded. "I know," he said, "but let's not be too hard on him. We often act the same way he did."

Mark looked puzzled. "What do you mean, Dad?" he asked.

"God has written a letter-the Bible-to let people know He loves them. He expects those of us who know Him to deliver that message to those who haven't heard. Often we fail to do this," explained Dad. "Many people are still waiting to hear that God loves them."

Mark nodded. "We're as bad as Isauro," he said. "Even
worse!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you heard and believed God's message? If so, how long has it been since you told someone else about it? Don't fail to deliver God's message to those around you. Can He count on you to do that?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 10:15)
"How beautiful are the feet of them that . . . bring glad tidings of good things!"

[Soldier4Christ]

"What's the matter with Erin?" Jason asked. "She's stumbling around like she's half asleep."

Mom looked up from her sewing. "I don't know," she said. "Erin, honey, what are you doing?" She frowned as the two-year-old staggered into the table.

"She acts like she's drugged," observed Grandma, who was visiting. "There isn't any medication around that she could get into, is there?"

"No, I'm sure there isn't," said Mom. She picked up the little girl.

Suddenly Grandma gasped. "You don't suppose she found that sleeping pill I dropped last night, do you?" she asked.

"Naw," said Jason. "We all looked for that-we even vacuumed."

"Yes, but I don't know," worried Grandma. "She sure is acting funny."

Mom nodded. "I think I'd better call the doctor," she said.

Following the doctor's orders, Erin was taken to the emergency room at the hospital. "I think she must have found that pill, but I'm sure she'll be all right," Dr. Burns said after he had examined her. "Just to be safe, we'll keep her here a few hours. One of you should stay with her and keep her awake. Can you do that?"

Both Mom and Grandma stayed. They played games with Erin , tickled her, and washed her face. They walked the little girl up and down the hall and washed her face again and again. Erin was so sleepy! "This is a switch." Mom smiled faintly. "Usually I have trouble getting her to sleep."

Finally it was safe to allow Erin to curl up and sleep.
"I'm exhausted," said a relieved Grandma. "Who would have thought one little
pill could cause so much trouble?"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you half asleep with a "pill" Satan gave you? It could be the drug of "busy-ness"-no time for God. Or is it an attitude of "indifference"-not caring about your relationship with Him? He says, "Wake up. Watch and pray." Don't let the enemy drug your soul.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Thess. 5:6)
"Let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."

[Soldier4Christ]

Little Sarah was busily playing down in the basement. She finally came upstairs and walked into the living room with an armful of wrapped bundles. "Look!" she cried. "I made presents!"

As she handed out the packages, her brother Ted wrinkled up his nose. "Something stinks!" he said. He sniffed at the present in his hand. "I think it's this . . . whatever it is." Opening the package, he found a slightly damp, smelly object made from old newspaper.

"See? It's an airplane," announced Sarah. "We learned to fold them in nursery school. I made one for Anna, too. And see-I folded hats for Mommy and Daddy. We learned to do them in nursery school, too!"

"Why, thank you," said Mom with a faint smile. "But, Sarah, where did you get newspapers to make them?"

"I found them in the basement. There was a whole pile of them by the window. Is that okay?" Sarah asked anxiously.

"I've been meaning to take those old things to the dump!" exclaimed Dad. "It's damp by that window, and the papers must have gotten wet. That's why they smell so bad."

"Don't you like my presents?" wailed Sarah.

Mom tried to soothe Sarah's hurt feelings. "It was a nice idea! Come on, honey," she said. "Let's find some construction paper and you can make new ones."

After the two had left the room, Ted and Anna quickly scooped up the smelly papers to take them out to the garbage can. "Sarah really did mean well, and I'm afraid she was surprised when we weren't delighted with her presents," said Dad with a sigh. "She thought they were so nice, and we see them as smelly junk." After a moment he added, "Kind of like our good deeds."

"Good deeds?" echoed Ted.

"A verse in Isaiah says that the good deeds people do to
earn their salvation are like 'filthy rags,'" explained Dad. "Some people think
they can please God just by doing their best, but until we let Christ wash away
our sins with His blood, all our good works are like those smelly presents from
Sarah."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think God will be pleased with the good things you try to do? If you haven't trusted Jesus as your Savior, God won't accept your good works. They look-and smell-like "filthy rags" to Him. Ask Jesus to save you and give you a clean heart.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Isaiah 64:6)
"Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags."

[Soldier4Christ]

Blake watched as the other children lined up for the foot race. If Marlo hadn't left her skates on the porch, I'd be running, too, he thought. He had tripped over his sister's skates and fallen down the stairs. Now he had a broken arm and couldn't enter the races at the school picnic. He kept his eye on his sister. She's to blame for my broken arm, but she gets to run. She'll probably win and get the candy they're giving for prizes. It's not fair!

Just then, Marlo glanced over at him. "Cheer for me!" she called.

I hope she doesn't win, thought Blake.

The whistle blew, and the runners began their race. Blake's sister didn't seem to get a good start. That made Blake feel good. But as the race went on, Marlo gained speed, and in a few minutes she was in front. Then something happened! Marlo tripped and fell! The others passed her, and another girl became the winner.

Marlo got up slowly and ran to the sidelines where Blake was standing. "Tough break," Blake said off-handedly. He glared at her. "Now you know how I feel."

Marlo looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry," she said. "I wanted to win the prize for you."

Somehow Blake didn't enjoy the rest of the picnic very much. It's because I can't do anything with this broken arm, he told himself. But whenever he saw Marlo, he felt especially bad. "It's not my fault she lost," he muttered under his breath. "Besides, I'm glad." But he wasn't glad; he was unhappy. And deep down he knew it was his own attitude that made him unhappy. He knew that the way he felt was not the way God wanted him to feel. He was feeling sorry for himself and not caring at all how Marlo felt.

He saw the boys and girls lining up for the crabwalk
race-another activity he couldn't enter. But Marlo was entering. Blake walked
over to watch. "Go, Marlo, go!" he yelled when the whistle blew. "Win the race
for me-but keep the prize for yourself!" He truly wanted her to
win.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you happy when someone else does a better job than you do? The Bible says you should be glad with others. Cheer for them, even when you don't feel like it. Think about how they feel, and be happy for them. When you do that, you may be surprised at how good it makes you feel, too. Best of all, it pleases God.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 12:15)
"Rejoice with them that do rejoice."

[Soldier4Christ]

A Birthday Celebration

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:4 (NIV)

What have we here?  A cake covered with candles, balloons, a package wrapped in pretty paper and tied with ribbons and bows.  What kind of a celebration do you think these things might suggest?  Of course, a birthday party. Now, there might be someone here today who is having a birthday, but that is not why we are celebrating.  Today is the day that we celebrate the birthday of the church.  The day that the church really got its start.  We call it the day of Pentecost and it is when we remember the day when God sent the Holy Spirit to his people just as Jesus had promised that he would.

These items which we use to celebrate a birthday are also going to help us to remember what happened in the church on the day of Pentecost.  They will also remind us that the Holy Spirit is still at work in the church today.

Balloons can add a lot to any celebration, but, as you can see, these balloons are flat and lifeless. They need to be filled.  They need someone to breathe some life into them.  (Blow up the balloon.)  The Bible tells us that on the day of Pentecost, the followers of Jesus were all together in one place when suddenly they heard a sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind and it filled the whole house.  We are here today waiting for the Holy Spirit to fill this place and to breathe new life into the church of Jesus Christ.

Like any good birthday cake, our cake is covered with candles.  As I light each candle, we are reminded that on the day of Pentecost tongues of fire came and rested upon each of the people in that place and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.  They began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them ability.  Just as on the day of Pentecost, we need the Holy Spirit to come and light our fire and give us the power to do things which will bring glory to God.

What is a birthday celebration without gifts?  On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gave the early church the gifts of forgiveness, truth, and a new life.  The Holy Spirit offers those same gifts today.  He leads us to truth, forgives us, and gives us a better way to live.

This has been a great birthday celebration, but it seems to me that there is something we have forgotten.  Oh, I know what it is!  We forgot to sing "Happy Birthday" to the church.  Let's sing!  "Happy birthday to you..."

Dear Father, we thank you for sending the Holy Spirit.  Help us to remember that the Holy Spirit still fills the church with power today, just as he did on the day of Pentecost.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Who's Right?

"Dad, at Drew's church they don't teach exactly the same things as they do at our church," Nick said one day. "We had an argument about it. Drew said his church is right, and I said ours is. Ours really is right, isn't it?"

Before Dad could attempt an answer, Nick's little sister and brother came into the kitchen, carrying a toy keyboard. They set it on the table. "Kenny and me want to play one of the songs Daddy taught us," said Nicole. "Okay?"

Nick laughed. "Okay," he agreed, and Dad nodded. Using just one finger each, the kids began to play. As they carefully pressed the keys, Nick thought he recognized "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." But then it became obvious that the two youngsters were each playing a different song. "That's awful!" declared Nick. "You need a new teacher. How about me?"

"Wait a minute!" protested Dad. "The teacher's not the problem. They're not following my instructions." He turned to the little musicians. "I said you should decide together which song to play and then come and show me how well you could do it. Go practice one song, and then come and play for us again."

When the children were gone, Dad grinned at Nick. "That sure didn't sound the way I intended their music to turn out," he said, "but, you know, this reminds me of what we were talking about. When we argue, can't you almost hear God saying, 'That isn't what I intended'? Jesus wants His followers to all 'play the same song.' He wants all Christians to be unified-to be one."

"But which 'song' should we be playing? Whose church is right-Drew's or ours?" Nick asked again.

"God's way is right," Dad answered. "I don't know what church Drew attends, so I don't know what his church teaches. But we obviously believe the church we go to teaches what God says in His Word. That's why we go there."

"So that's what I should tell Drew the next time we argue about church differences?" persisted Nick.

"Why argue? Why don't you and Drew make an agreement to read the Bible and try your best to do what it says?" suggested Dad. "I believe that's what Jesus would want you to do."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you argue with kids from other churches? You should attend a church that agrees with what God says in His Word, and then quit arguing. Read the Bible and encourage others to do the same. Not everyone will agree on every detail, but all Christians can have fellowship with one another. Believe what God says and put what He teaches into practice in your life. This will lead to the unity Jesus wants you to enjoy.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Ephesians 4:4-6)
There is . . . one Spirit . . . one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Look, Steve! An old baseball card!" exclaimed Brian as he searched through a box in Grandpa's attic. "Maybe Grandpa will let us have this."

"Cool! I'll ask him," offered Steve. He disappeared through the attic's trap door while Brian continued to look at other things Grandpa had stored up there.

"Grandpa says we can have it," reported Steve when he returned. "He said we can have any other cards we find, too!" He started helping Brian dig through the dusty piles. "Here's another one!" he yelled after a moment.

Soon Grandpa's smiling face appeared at the trap door. "Find any more cards?" he asked.

 "You bet, Grandpa!" Brian held up a card he had just found. "You sure you want us to keep these?"

"Keep every one you find, boys," said Grandpa.

"All right!" exclaimed Steve. "This is like looking for treasure!"

"This is treasure," Brian told him. "These cards could be worth a lot of money." He grinned. "This treasure was right under our noses, but we just now found it."

"Under our noses?" asked Steve.

Grandpa smiled. "That's an expression that means it was right here where you could easily find it," he explained. "But come on down now for lunch."

After they finished their toasted cheese sandwiches, Grandpa reached for the old family Bible. "Let's look at some more treasure," he said.

"More treasure?" Brian looked at the Bible Grandpa held. "Are there treasures in your Bible?"

Grandpa nodded. "There sure are," he said.

Brian and Steve looked at each other. "Really?" asked Steve. "What kind? Are they worth lots of money?"

Grandpa chuckled. "The treasures of God's Word are worth
far more than mere money," he said. "God's treasures are His promises, His
wisdom, His comfort and encouragement." Grandpa opened the Bible. "They're right
here under our noses, but we often fail to find them. Let's see if we can find
some treasure right now."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you finding God's treasures? Do you look for the promises and comfort offered in the Bible? Do you look for the instructions that lead to peace, joy, and blessing? God's Word is full of treasures. Find some today!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 119:14)
"I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches."

[Soldier4Christ]

When Tyler heard the blare of a horn followed by the screeching of brakes, he looked up from his book and jumped to his feet. As he ran outside, he noticed that the gate to the fenced-in back yard was ajar. "Where's Pudge?" Tyler called to his dad. "The gate's open." Pudge was Tyler's special pet and was generally a good dog who minded very well. On the rare occasions when he got loose, however, he often gave in to the temptation to go across the road and into the fields and woods. Then he had a great time hunting squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, and mice.

Both Tyler and his father headed for a car that had stopped just a little way up the road from their home. A man was kneeling at the side of the road. "Is this your dog?" the man called to them. "He came up out of the ditch like a streak of lightning and started to cross the road. I did my best to stop, but it was too late and I hit him." The man stood up. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I think you need a veterinarian."

Tyler gathered the little dog into his arms, and Dad ran to get his truck. Soon they were handing Pudge over to the veterinarian. "He's badly hurt, but I think we can fix him up just fine," the vet told them after examining the dog. "I'd like to keep him here a couple of days."

"Do you think Pudge will be okay, Dad?" asked Tyler anxiously as they drove home. "Is it okay to pray that he will?"

"Of course it's okay," Dad assured him, "but we do need to be willing to accept God's answer, whatever it is, and to learn from it. One lesson I think we need to learn is that it's important to count the cost of our actions."

"Will the vet bill be high?" asked Tyler.

"Probably," said Dad, "but that's not what I meant. I
was thinking that Pudge has great fun chasing rabbits and squirrels, but I'm
sure even he would agree that it wasn't worth what it cost-it almost cost him
his life! We need to remember that there's also a price to pay for the things we
do-including sin. Sin might be fun for a moment, but in the end it always
destroys."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know that many young people have lost their lives running after things such as drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, money, and even popularity? These things may look attractive now, but they are not worth what they may cost in the end. Keep your thoughts on Jesus. He will help you say "no" to temptation.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Timothy 2:22)
"Flee also youthful lusts."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Niko will be gone on vacation for two whole months, and he asked me to take over his paper route while he's gone," Jason announced one evening. "I get to keep all the earnings."

"Great," said Dad. "Do a good job for him."

Each afternoon, Jason picked up the papers and hurriedly delivered them to the houses on Niko's route. At the end of the month, he began the job of collecting. This was the part he had been waiting for. He rang the doorbell of the first house. "Morning, Mr. Jones. I'm here to collect," said Jason pleasantly.

Mr. Jones nodded. "How much do I owe?" he asked. "I'm sure you want to subtract for the paper that went up on the garage roof and the two that fell into the flower garden. The sprinkler was on, and they got soaked. We weren't able to read any of those." Mr. Jones shook his head as he added, "Niko was always careful to see that such things didn't happen."

Jason reluctantly subtracted the price of the three papers and left the house without even saying thanks. Some people sure are impossible! he thought.

At the next house, the lady paid for the full month, but she reminded Jason that Niko was always careful to put the paper inside the screen door on rainy days. Jason was scowling as he went on.

By the time Jason returned home, he was not in a very good mood. "Talk about grumpy people!" he grumbled as he told his father about the problems he had in collecting money. "Almost everyone complained about something, and I'm sick of hearing how much better Niko does."

Dad's eyebrows shot up. "Those people have a right to
expect good service from you-just like they get from Niko," he reminded Jason.
"After all, you're his representative. I think you'd better be more careful how
you do your work from now on."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you God's representative? If you're a Christian, you are, and all you do and say reflects on the Lord. A cheerful smile, a helpful attitude, an honest life, and a job well done is a good testimony for your Lord. Can He trust you to be a good representative for Him?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Cor. 5:20)
"We are ambassadors for Christ."

[Soldier4Christ]

BOOM! BOOM! Jon grinned as the loud sound of the fireworks was followed by a shower of colorful sparks cascading downward.

Caroline covered her ears. "I don't like the noise," she said, "but the fireworks sure are pretty!"

The fireworks display at the county fairgrounds was an event that Jon and Caroline looked forward to each summer. They liked to be a part of the crowd that sat on the grassy slope. Delighted gasps of "oh-h-h-h" and "ah-h-h-h" were heard as rockets whistled through the air and burst into umbrellas of brilliant, jewel-like sparks. The sky filled with many brightly colored lights, and the entire area was as light as in the day.

All too soon the fireworks display was over. The sparks flickered and died before they reached the ground. Smoke vapors trailed off into nothing. Then everything was dark except for the beam of flashlights as people made their way back to their cars.

Up above, the stars shone brightly-higher than any fireworks could reach. Jon pointed upward. "There's an airplane," he said. "See it?"

Caroline nodded. "I wonder what the pilot saw from way up there."

Mom smiled. "I wonder what God thought about it from His viewpoint," she said. "Maybe He said, 'Quite impressive, folks, but have you considered the lights I put in the sky? They can be seen all over the earth. And they don't die out-the sun, moon, and stars are as bright as when I placed them there.'"

"They don't appear only on special occasions, either, like the fireworks do," added Caroline.

Dad nodded. "People make fireworks with explosive
chemicals, but God created His lights by simply speaking a word," he said.
"People can't seem to agree on how things came to be, and they make up lots of
explanations. They can find the right answer by simply reading the first chapter
of Genesis."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you confused by what you read or hear concerning where the sun, moon, stars, and other things came from? People can make many things, but they need to use materials that God created. He is the Creator of everything.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 19:1)
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork."